Tech workers bound for British Columbia can obtain rapid processing for their filed immigration application under the BC PNP Tech program.
Recently turned from pilot to permanent installation, the BC PNP Tech allows BC employers to hire foreign talent. In return, it facilitates the provincial nominee program mainly for the tech talent willing to immigrate to BC.
Get eligible for BC PNP Tech through Express Entry
The British Colombia provincial nominee program is only for the people who are already liable for either skills immigration or express entry British Columbia stream.
If you successfully made it to the express entry pool, it means that you have already passed the first step to obtain the nomination through the express entry British Columbia stream. In order to obtain Canadian permanent resident, you must get eligible for express entry managed program, which includes Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker Program, or Federal Skilled Trades Program.
Now, you will have to become eligible for one of the express entry British Columbia subcategories such as skilled worker, healthcare professional, international postgraduate or international graduate.
In order to get eligible for almost all these subcategories, you will require having a confirmed job offer excluding International Post-Graduate.
Particularly for BC PNP Tech, you will require full-time job offers in any of the 29 eligible occupations in the tech field. The minimum time of the job offer should be one year. British Columbia organizes an invitation round each week for the tech candidates. Some of the weeks, they organize draw only for tech applicants, whereas in some other weeks, it is for the general draw.
If you are welcomed, then you will only get total 30 days to request for provincial nomination. However, getting an invitation does not assure that you will definitely receive the nomination. If you get the nomination, you will only have six months to apply for a Canadian permanent resident application. At the same time, you might also receive a work permit support letter from BC PNP. This letter will allow you to lawfully work in Canada until you receive the final decision regarding the application.
If you are an express entry candidate with the provincial nomination, you will automatically reward an additional 600 points to your cut-off score. This reward will take your profile to the top of the pool for express entry draw, where there are larger chances for obtaining an Invitation to Apply for Canada PR.
A note on expedited processing
British Colombia provincial nomination program has control only over its own provincial immigration program. Therefore, it cannot expedite your final application for permanent residence as the decision is in the hands of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
BC PNP can offer you multiple options to immigration candidate, to start working in Canadian territory until their immigration application gets processed. In addition, the Tech program is one of those pathways that allow applicants to skip Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), which is undoubtedly a costly and lengthy process.
The BC PNP also provides a work permit support letter to the nominees to request a new work permit or renew their present permit until their permanent resident application gets processed.
The BC PNP keeps that immigration application on priority and has confirmed job offers in 29 key technology occupations. After successfully submitting the complete application, your immigration packet will be forwarded to the dedicated processing team within one working day.
As per the recent reports of the provincial government, it has been suggested that most of the BC PNP application processing time is 2 to 3 months from the date of receipt. In contrast, the application for the tech program gets processed in less time.
What are the 29 eligible occupations for BC PNP Tech?
If you are employed in any given occupation, you will be qualified for BC PNP Tech. Here is the checklist of all the 29 eligible occupations:
- 0131 Telecommunication carriers’ managers
- 0213 Computer and information systems managers
- 0512 Managers – publishing, motion pictures, broadcasting, and performing arts
- 2131 Civil engineers
- 2132 Mechanical engineers
- 2133 Electrical and electronics engineers
- 2134 Chemical engineers
- 2147 Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- 2171 Information systems analysts and consultants
- 2172 Database analysts and data administrators
- 2173 Software engineers and designers
- 2174 Computer programmers and interactive media developers
- 2175 Web designers and developers
- 2221 Biological technologists and technicians
- 2241 Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians
- 2242 Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment)
- 2243 Industrial instrument technicians and mechanics
- 2281 Computer network technicians
- 2282 User support technicians
- 2283 Information systems testing technicians
- 5121 Authors and writers
- 5122 Editors
- 5125 Translators, terminologists and interpreters
- 5224 Broadcast technicians
- 5225 Audio and video recording technicians
- 5226 Other technical and co-ordinating occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting and the performing arts
- 5227 Support occupations in motion pictures, broadcasting, photography and the performing arts
- 5241 Graphic designers and illustrators
- 6221 Technical sales specialists – wholesale trade